Fire bomb



Sept. 14, 1943. 1'. P. DUNCAN, JR

FIRE BOMB Filed March 10, 1942 mamas f'zmcan/ .fr

Patented Sept. 14, 1943.

v:eineinventief-1 reietesto eine bomb, anddit is an object of the invention :to provide a device `oi? V'this kind adapted .'to be dropped 'from the Vair andl 'which is constructed'inamanner .to descend in la path of traveltowards 'it's objective .'on 'a slant -withrrespe'ct to the Vertical It-'isalso an .object'of thfe invention -to provid'ea ybomb lof -this kind .particularlydesigned -and Wadaptedfor use in attack-troni the air against the? -fr-uotus and 'flimsy houses fof overpopulated fceunt'ries 4wliere `the gun'ra'nd ku sections loom- 'prise :dwellings of which approximately! 95% Yare built :relatively high io'i I"the rgrati-.nd and without basements and whichfliave rice Ystraw thatched' reefs and .extensively-using ywwiifidows and doorsV proof paper and silk. f An nadditionalobject ol the invention is A'to prokvfide a bomb of ffthisklindse constructed-Vasto made of sliding -WOOd-lgriHsmade of weather- --h'ave angular flight towards vits objective `so Yas to have maximum effectiveness 'through the sides "and open-ings in the si'desfo'f )structures and to ,llp'enetrate silently' vtl-neugh such comparatively v structures `hf-irein'beore lreferred-Eto,-

The inventionwconsists in the details of eenst-ruction'l'and 'in V1-tl'iel ncombination and arrange-r v ment of the several partsA ofvrny improvedffire bomb whereby certain important advantages are forth.

In order that my invention may be better funattained, as will be hereinafter more' fully set; 30

derstood, I will now proceed to describe the same j with reference to the accompanying wherein: l

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional 4view taken f through a bomb constructed-in accordance with v my invention with certain of the parts in eleva-V Y tion.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary View in elevationof the end portion of th'e device provided with the vane.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view indicating the i general path of flight of the device, and l Figure 4 is a diagrammatic View partly in sec tion and partly in top plan illustrating a cluster of bombs embodying my invention. l

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing,A I denotes an elongated `cylindricall member of desired dimensions and which comprises a com-` bustible material, preferably magnesium. One

end portion of this member I is tapered'to pro'- vide a penetrating nose 2 over which is snugly fitted a sheath or jacket 3 of steelor 'other de- :sneu Aman13mincrease tnefpenetranng "ne-tee@ Y vmite'rn'intirre'; andi fo'vitinnithe': bereft -`abovethefchargeisisa priming rlhargeiotprerf, a `lkeeper plateY 21; provided 4 at. it axial; center 1 with the tubular meint erlferfstee w The enaeornen eritheberejeef are teralf remote from thejvnose 2 and above orb i keeper elatefrlhasneeiy @meenten s "hier pointed'strliking' tip I2,` preferalolyof-steel.l ,e

After the proper placingof the vcharges and l l 6, plate 1, cap I0 and piny I I, theinitiallyopen or,` .y vouteri end portion ofthe rod Iais compressed, as I` vat I4, toprovide a vane angularlyf disposed with' respect to the longitudinal'axisfoffthe member YI .n This'vane I4 providesmeans toassistin causingk the member Iv when dropped todes'cend'ina path d f y, angular .to the perpendicular, as diagrammati cally indicated at c in .Figure 3. To further assure f the'A l"angular illustrated in Figure 1 VofA the drawillg-this'open--l ing I 5 'is so'positioned as tohave a portion thereof vclosely approach, as at a; thewperiph'ery ofthe l Y s bottomend rofthe ybore'vbfhv This'is of decided I f advantage as this allows for easy andquick burn-jV y ing of the member I upon ignition ofthe charge 5 to facilitate the initial ignitionof the member f pimidcd faniallythereof "lthreughout thefmaiorfxportonof tslength with y 4a'b'or 'bg immer' end Mot. which is iclosedi; with f sa-,idiolosed ena.fatinnereniateiy;.zadgiaoentsutotheV I f .t hose 2.; Within tneinserteniend perdonar-ef the f "bereit Pista starting.-einargeI` 5, miie'ferablyaitherf y descending travel of the nember,l,k thenose 2-thereofy has, f disposedV therethrough an ,opening I5:arranged'L ona suitable angle in a ldirection lengthwise of the /membervl and in "la directionfreverse tothe f direction of angle of the vane 1M,V :As vis clearly .Itis'believedto be obviousthat the opening p I5 is also directed through the adjacent portions,y

, February 21, 1942.

of the jacket 3 and it is to be stated that while the member lis in descent, wind catches in the lower end of the opening I5 and thereby serves to cause the member to travel in an angular path and to maintain the same in such path of travel.

The member I at its center balance point and above the applied keeper plate 'l is provided in its Wall with transversely aligned openings I6 which provide vents for` the gases generated at the time of the initial firing of the bomb, thereby materiallyl facilitating the ignition of the member I.

desired Vopening of the vents i I6.

These gases, when first created, will. push the pin ll'backward and also push the cap f Ivoff the member or sleeve 8, thus assuring the When the bomb isin storage, a suitable mem-'f ber Il, such as a wire strand on whichtheY bombs f v. are strung for releasing in large quantities, is. Y,

inserted through theopenings or vents ll5 and' inwardly of the p invll `to provide meansfor holding the pin Il, or more particularly its tip L12, away from the percussion cap. Of course, this member l1 is withdrawn when the bomb 'is' dropped and it isbelieved to be obvious that as the bomb hits its objective, the impact will be sucient; to cause'the pin H, or more particularly its point l2, to-have .contact with Ythe V ,percussion cap l2Y to effect .theinitial ignition of `thebomb. It is also particularly pointedolltv that the device as herein disclosed `is substantially entirely of ',compressible materiali of Va type particularly suitedfor the `worl: desired.;

.In Figure 4 isdiagrammatically illustrated a cancomprise as great a number `of bombs as desired `but preferably fromlOO `to,1,000,.

The re bomb as herein-disclosed `can be readpending application Serial No. 431,871, led

It is to be, further s tructed in accordance with my invention are of comparatively light Weight, thus allowing the same to be transportedin great quantities, par- `stated that the l bombs Vconticularly by aircraft, but this sacrifice of long burning weight for quantity lightness does not in any way impair the eciency of the bombs, particularly when used against fructus and flimsy objectives. y I

Fromthe foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a re bomb constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it maybe assembled and operated. l

What I claim is:`

1. A fire bomb comprising an elongated member of combustible material having a hollow portion, astarting charge within the member,

means withinY the member for igniting said charge, and Van opening disposed through one lendv portion 'of themember, said opening being directed on' an incline lengthwise of the member,s'aid opening providing means to cause the -memben when dropped, to travel in a path means .within the member for igniting said charge, and an angularly, dispose-:l vane at one end` portion of the membenfthe opposite` end .portion of the member having' an opening disposed,theretl'irough angular to the longitudinal axis ofthe member andin a `directionlengthwise thereof, saidvane andiopening providing means to cause `said member, when dropped, to

l `travel in a path angular to theperpendicular. cluster of thermembers l and any such cluster :2. f

A fire bomb comprising `an elongated memp er of combustible materialhavingv a hollow portion, a starting charge withinthe member, means within the member for igniting said charge, and an opening disposed thfroughlone end portion of the member, said opening being `directed on an inclinelengthwise ofthe member, said opening providing `means to causethe member,v when Y, dropped, to travel in a path Y. angular to the perpendicular,A ,said opening member.

4 THOMAS' P. DUNCAN, JR.. 

